"Rajoy loses war in Balkans"

However, he has lost "the Balkan War", writes Spanish website El Confidencial.

The Spanish government has made an effort to prevent Kosovo from being treated as a state at the upcoming EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia.

With the burning Catalan issue, Rajoy has made clear from the beginning to his partners that he will not be sitting at the same table with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci.

His insistence, however, was futile, writes El Confidencial.

Prime Minister Rajoy failed, it is stated, to make his EU partners join the protest the summit in Bulgaria on May 17.

Kosovo, which is part of the "Western Balkans Six" along with Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania, will take part in the summit. Considering this, Rajoy will not.

According to El Confidencial, Rahoj will go to Bulgaria, but only to hold meetings with the country's authorities and to attend a dinner with European leaders the day before the summit, and then return to Spain.

And while Madrid's official confirmation is still awaited, the message from Brussels is that Rajoy will not participate.

"It is not expected", sources from top EU ranks told El Confidencial.

Sources from the Spanish government, too, have confirmed that Rajoy will not go, although Spain's participation in the summit is still an open question. The article adds that it is not expected that Rajoy will change his stance at the last minute.

El Confidencial writes that neither the public declarations nor the diplomatic demands were enough to "feel Kosovo less as a state."

"Kosovo is part of the Six and many EU members consider it very important that the whole region be present," sources have said.
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